At what age do you remember things? I have always wondered this. When did my memories start? Where my early memories fed by photos and my parents recollection of events? Probably a mixture, but there is a time when I remember having memories and they were very strong.
My brother described his childhood as being in technicolour. Its true. Colour seemed brighter, sounds louder and smell stronger.
For me it was the sense of smell and sound which re-awakens my first memories. I was three when I first arrived in Thailand and it was as if someone had turned a switch on. Suddenly I was bombarded with heat, smells and itchy bites. Enough to make any three year old grouchy!

Everything was loud and people seemed to shout at each other but they weren't cross, they just shouted words I couldn't understand. Cars beeped, dogs barked, music blared. Everywhere was noise, noise , noise.

It was so hot and the air was close as if it was wrapping around me and trying to suffocate me. And the air carried smells that I had never smelt before. Strong sour smells, awful smells which made my stomach turn as if I was going to be sick and wild sweet, beautiful smells. They all swirled around me on the warm air mixing together, separating and creating a perfume distinct to Thailand. I hated these smell because they were strange and new; now they are like a long lost friend.
I know that we spent a little time in a guest house when we first arrived but I don't really remember that. It was our first house which I think my first memories are from. I have some photos but the rest is definitely my impressions.

To get to our house you turned off the main road (we didn't have a car so we were always on foot) down a small unpaved road called a "Soi" (soy) This bit was narrow and dark until at the back of the houses it opened out. Our house was in a row of houses on the right. It was built on a swampy area so when the rain cam it flooded. To get to our house we had to walk along a wooden plank walkway. The house was built up higher than the path and made of a mixture of concrete and wood.

In my mind opposite our house was a wide expanse of 'swamp' with lilypads lotus flowers growing. My mum said there were houses but I don't remember that at all!
Inside the house was open plan downstairs with shiney dark wooden floors. I loved to slide around on these floors. At the front there was an area by the window where we had our table. The stairs to the bedrooms went up at the back of this main room.

At the back of the house down some concrete steps was the "kitchen" and "bathroom". I cant remember what was in the kitchen at all as I didn't go there. It probably had a small stove, fridge and cupboard. I didn't like this area as it was dark and gloomy.
The bathroom consisted of a sqat toilet and a huge concrete water tank. "baths" consisted of throwing dipper fulls of water (cold) over yourself. My mum bought metal baisins which she filled with a mixture of hot and cold water in, which was much nicer and she still has them!!